Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Monday, July 9, 2007

DivaCup inside

DivaCup insideYou can thank Leigh for her comment on my last DivaCup post for this graphic.

For those of you out there that are curious about the stay-ability of the DivaCup whilst exercising, well I took it for a spin out running today and didn't have any problems with slippage. I was half-expecting that I'd feel it, but it was okay.

Also, several people have asked about camping or backpacking with a DivaCup and I wanted to bring it up in a post so that it's more visible. The concern was mostly due to the logistics of changing the cup when you don't have access to running water. I believe that others have just rinsed the DivaCup with clean water and then washed it when it was more convenient. If you have any more input, please let us know!

14 comments:

Christa said...

Hello,

I've nominated you for a 'Bloggers for Positive Global Change' award.

The details are available on my blog.

Cheers,
Christa

Minni Mum said...

Hi Crunchy. Dammit! I was too late - I have also nominated you for a "Bloggers for Positive Global Change" award :-) Ah well, you get to be tagged (at least) twice!

It's on my blog here: http://crazy-mumma.blogspot.com/2007/07/bloggers-for-positive-global-change.html.

Cheers, CM

monkey said...

um... forgive me for saying so, as it might be an intentional part of the design...

the U in divacup is backwards.

Anonymous said...

Hello,
I have used the Diva cup for 3 months, and I don't bother to wash it out. I just empty it and put it back in during the day. I do wash it out each night, but if I was camping for a couple of days I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like your vagina is a sterile area, nor are tampons.

Skulleigh said...

I have camped with mine at a site that had port-a-potties, and those always make me feel like I'm surrounded by germs. :)

I brought hand sanitizer in, sanitized my hands, rinsed them with water from a canteen, took out the cup, rinsed it using the canteen, and put it back in. That was for a three day trip.

Love the graphic :) I never did get around to making one.

Anonymous said...

If I don't have access to water, I just dump it and then use a little toilet paper to clean it.

Though I had a few challenges when I started using it (pain in and out, leaking), my body seems to have gotten the hang of it now and I can't imagine using anything else. You really can forget your period while using it!

oopuy said...

Hello all backpackers that have used the Diva Cup while outside,
One of my biggest concerns is the Leave No Trace part of backpacking in the backcountry (i.e. in locations with no access to port a potties or running water--I'll be in Glacier National Park, Montana in the coming weeks). With tampons and pads, you can pack them all out, thus leaving no trace) and keep the blood (thus the smell) contained by using plastic bags and tea. With the Diva Cup, I guess I would have to empty it into a double-bagged plastic bag and using the same odor-controlling items--asprin and tea--as I normally would? Most of the water I will have (past day two--I'll be out for 10 days) will be treated with iodione. Will washing the Diva Cup with iodione and then inserting it be a bad idea? Thanks for the conversation...
Leslie

oopuy said...

Also, Crunchy, thanks for bringing this topic to the forfront of your blog. it's really helpful!

Ashley // Our Little Apartment said...

I just finished my first cycle of the diva cup. Holy crap, I love it. It took 2 days to get used to - and I had to take it out way more than 2 times the first 2 days. But people! I was able to go to a concert without having to 1) bring tampons, 2) stand in a LONG line for the bathroom, or 3) worry constantly about leaks.


THANK YOU FOR TELLING US ABOUT THIS!!!!!!!!!!

Crunchy Chicken said...

monkey (cup) - the u is backwards because the "Intel" font makes it that way. I have no control over it.

lrapps - not to be too graphic, but do you pack out all waste material including excrement (not just TP)? If so, then you'll probably feel compelled to take menstrual discharge with you to. If not, then don't worry about it. I suspect it will biodegrade faster than you expect.

ashley - I know. This is my 3rd month using it and I still can't get over how damn cool it is. I'm glad it's working out for you!

Anonymous said...

I'm a new comer to this blog, but let me tell you that I have been using my diva cup since 1998 (that model is called The Keeper and is made of of latex - I don't have any latex allergies).

I have not looked back and the few times I had to use "conventional" products, I hated it.

Never had any trouble with sports, etc.

Here's something to inspire/gross you out, but if you're into sustainability, you may like this. Designate a one gallon pitcher (pick one up at a yard sale or thrift store). Empty the cup into the pitcher, and fill the pitcher with water. Feed this nitrogen rich mixture to your houseplants - they will LOVE it! No, their is no odor, nor does it attract bugs.

Anonymous said...

Lrapps - I use Lugol's Iodine Solution internally and as a douche. It is very good for your skin and other tissues - not just your thyroid - and is a wonderful sterilizer. It should be great for cleaning your diva cup.

I don't have a diva cup or keeper because I'm very sensitive and wary about the silicone or rubber, but I have ordered some natural sponges and plan to soak them in some filtered water with a few drops of Lugol's before using them.

I think the iodine you get in the drugstores is for topical use only, so I wouldn't use that internally.

Check out the iodine support forum at CureZone.com for more information about Lugol's Iodine Solution.

By the way... it is amazing for healing fibroids and other problems.

And also, I appreciate the Leave No Trace thing, but your menstrual blood is an excellent fertilizer for the plant life, so if I were you, I would feed the plants rather than carry it around in plastic.

Anonymous said...

I have a washing question. I've just gone through one cycle using cloth pads (I got LunaPads in order to use unbleached, undyed cotton). I washed them each day by hand in the bathroom sink after some soaking because I didn't want to have a container full of pads in my small bathroom, and it's not like we run the washing machine every week. But after they dried, the fabric wasn't so smooth anymore. It's fuzzing up a bit where it wraps around my skivvies, and that's to be expected, but the surface that had done the absorbing is not so soft anymore and has fuzzies. Will it not do that if I just wash them in the washing machine? Or should I just stop freaking out and see what happens after 4 months?

I'm so excited that I made the switch (though I'll be staying in someone else's apartment next month, and don't know how the washing situation will be, so I've got to use up my disposables). Even my husband thinks it's cool, since I gave him a daily update.

By the way, since this discussion is all about our privates anyways: try using a garlic clove for a yeast infection rather than the creams. Just peel it so it's smooth, pop it in, and get it out the next morning. It takes care of the infection and doesn't smell.

chandi said...

I have used the same diva cup for about 3 years now. I have until now, washed it with soap and water. It seems at this point that it needs an extra something... stronger, to wash it with. It is stained and has a bit of an odor. I know the company sells a specific wash but I don't want to be bothered with ordering it. I bet there is something in the house that I could use, but what? White vinegar maybe? (just once to get it more clear and odor free...)